Big Brother
by Red Witch
Summary: Goose spends some quality time with some new friends.


**The disclaimer saying anything about me owning Galaxy Rangers characters is taking a time out. This ties in with a story I did called 'The Letter'. Just a cute fic that came into my little head. **

**Big Brother**

Shane Gooseman walked outside with Dr. Set, the Andorian doctor at the Children's Recovery Hospital on Andor. "So how are they Doctor?"

"See for yourself," Dr. Set pointed to three girls running around chasing each other in a nearby playground. "The twins have made remarkable progress in adapting and being deprogrammed from their Supertrooper training. And Dea is much better and healthier. She's also making progress."

"What about Ryder?" Shane asked. Then he saw the boy sitting in a tall tree on a sturdy branch and looking out on the sky.

"He's still having trouble," Dr. Set told him. "Especially controlling his emotions."

"He hasn't hurt anyone has he?" Shane asked.

"Oh no, nothing like that," Dr. Set shook his head. "When he gets like that he knows enough now to go to the Angry Room where he can act out his feelings without consequences."

"The Angry Room?"

"It's a place we built specially for children who have trouble handling their emotions and feelings of anger," Dr. Set explained. "Where they can express themselves without hurting anyone or anything. Well that was the idea."

"You said he didn't hurt anyone."

"He hasn't. But he has done considerable damage on some reinforced steel walls," Dr. Set smirked.

"Yeah well he may be a kid but Supertrooper kids are a bit stronger and a bit less restrained than other kids," Shane explained.

"He has so much rage inside him," Dr. Set sighed. "Understandable considering the life he's led."

"I'll go talk to him," Shane nodded. He went to see the boy by climbing up the tree.

"Mind if I join you?" Shane asked as he climbed up the branch and sat next to him.

"Goose!" Ryder was surprised. "When did you get in?"

"Just now," Shane told him. "We were finishing up a mission and I thought I'd drop by and see how you were doing. So? How are you doing?"

"Okay," Ryder shrugged.

"Wanna talk about it?" Shane asked. Ryder just shrugged.

"It's hard isn't it?" Shane asked softly. "That feeling inside you. Always wanting to run, to fight. To be free but not knowing what to do or how to suppress it."

"I feel like…" Ryder tried to express it. "I feel like I want to hunt something. Anything but I don't know what. I also want to prove myself by fighting but that won't work here. I don't want to hurt anyone but on the other hand all I want to do is fight. It's frustrating."

Shane nodded. "Those feelings are encoded in our DNA. It's in our blood. No matter how much we were conditioned, no matter how much training they gave us…It's still a part of us. And it always will be. That's what separates us from other humans. It isn't good or evil. It simply is. The trick is how you deal with it."

"How do you deal with it?" Ryder asked.

"It's not always easy," Shane looked at the sky. "I've learned little tricks to keep it under control. But sometimes, sometimes I just have to get away. Just have to go out and run. Sometimes I ride my robo steed so far and so long I forget to eat or sleep. There is a wildlife preserve in the canyons near BETA Mountain. I go there sometimes…Just to be free. Where I can forget things, even if only for a moment."

"It sounds…nice," Ryder looked at the sky. "Maybe…Maybe someday we'll go there? You can show me where you ride."

"Maybe," Shane said simply.

"Everything is just so hard…" Ryder sighed. "I mean when I study I have trouble focusing. All I want to do is be outside and be free. I spent over two years living out in the open and now living inside a building is claustrophobic. And I have to sit in a room for hours at a time and…"

"And it's very frustrating," Shane nodded. "I understand that. A lot of Supertroopers had trouble studying."

"Did you?"

"Depended on the subject," Shane admitted. "Let's just say I wasn't too crazy about manners and socialization. But there is a purpose to all this stuff you're learning. It's to prepare you to what you want to be in life. Unlike me…At least you get a choice."

"I thought you chose to be a Galaxy Ranger?"

"Yeah well when the options are being a Ranger or being a lab rat or frozen that's not exactly saying much," Shane admitted. "Don't misunderstand me, I love what I do. It's just I would have liked some say in the matter. I guess I lucked out."

Ryder looked at the sky. "I know what I **don't** want to be. I don't want to be a weapon. I don't want to be separated from my sisters, even if they are a pain sometimes. And I don't…I don't want to be **anything **like that other Kilbane."

They were quiet for a moment. "There is something else…" Ryder admitted. "I know that being a weapon is…bad. But I was good at fighting. It's the one thing I know how to do right. I'm afraid that if I…change, I'll forget being a solider. That I won't be able to protect myself or my sisters anymore."

"Don't worry so much about your skills," Shane told him. "Trust me on this kid. That's the **one **thing that never goes away no matter how much you wish it would."

"I'd **want** my skills to go away?" Ryder blinked.

"Well not completely but…" Shane sighed. "It's one of those things that you will have a hard time understanding until you are older. Until then…Try to focus your energy on learning new skills. Skills that don't necessarily appear to have anything to do with combat. In the long run some of them might help you more than your combat training."

"Like what?" Ryder couldn't imagine anything that was more helpful than combat training.

"Let's see…," Shane thought. "I've got one. You've heard of music right?"

"A little," Ryder said. "Dr. Set plays music for us in order to help us relax sometimes. It's not bad."

"Did you know there are infinite types of music?" Shane smiled. "And you can do more than listen to them. Come on. Let's get your sisters. I think it's time for your first dance lesson."

"Dance lesson?" Ryder blinked.

"Trust me on this kid," Shane smiled. "You'll love it."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

In an open room loud rock and roll music played. The twins Mata and Hari squealed with delight as they twirled around. "And now put your foot out like that and turn around," Shane showed Dea as he held her hand.

She moved to the music. "I'm doing it!" She laughed. Her blue hair had grown a little longer and it was almost a short bob.

"This is easy!" Ryder crowed as he took Dea's hand and danced with her. "And fun!"

"This is a lot like training," Dea said. "But instead of learning how to fight, you learn how to move in different ways and practice balance."

"Now you're getting it," Shane nodded.

"Dance with us Goose! Dance with us!" Mata and Hari squealed with delight as Shane then took both their hands and twirled around with them.

Shane's heart swelled as the children laughed as they danced. He never thought he would hear this. Just simple laughter of Supertrooper children playing, not fighting. Just acting like normal human children, even if only for a moment.

"That was fun!" Dea laughed when they had finished.

"Yeah," Shane then noticed the time on the clock on the wall. "Sorry guys. I gotta cut my visit short. I have to go back to BETA."

"So soon?" Hari asked. "You just got here."

"I know. I just wish I could visit more often," Shane said.

"We know but you do visit and that's the important thing," Dea said. She gave him a hug.

"And you send us E-mails," Mata piped up.

"And Doc, Zach and Niko send us cards too!" Hari spoke.

"They do?" Shane was surprised.

"Uh huh," Mata chatted on. "Hari and I got dolls from Doc. Niko sent Dea a pretty necklace and Zach gave Ryder a real cowboy hat like the ones you rangers wear! It was for something called Christmas. They gave us other stuff too but those are our favorites!"

"All right now come here," Shane hugged the twins next. "Now you be good okay? And don't cause too much trouble while I'm gone."

"We won't," The twins chirped.

"And you," Shane went over to Ryder and patted him on the shoulder. "Watch that temper of yours. Try not to take out too many more walls, okay?"

"I will," Ryder smiled sadly. "Goose?"

"Yeah?"

"I know technically I'm a modified clone of Ryker Kilbane but I think you're my **real **big brother," Ryder told him.

"Thanks kid," Shane gave him a hug. "I feel like I am your brother too. I promise, I'm always going to look out for you."

_I may have failed with Ryker and all the other Supertroopers, _Shane thought to himself. _But I promise I won't fail with the four of you. _


End file.
